Signal device for elevators



Dec. 1, 194.2.

D; H, BAUM SIGNALDEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Filed Jan. 10, 1940 WITNESSES:

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3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO EY D. H. BAUM ,303,423

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Filed Jan. 10, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY W W. ATTO EY Dec. 1, 1942.

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SIGNAL DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Filed Jan. 10, 1940 V WQLTIESESZ 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Dana/a lifiaum.

ATTOR Y Patented Dec. 1, 1942 SIGNAL DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Donald H. Baum, Ridgewood, N. J., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Elevator Company, Jersey City, N. J a corporation of Illinois Application January 10, 1944), Serial No. 313,250

3 Claims. (01. 177336) buttons which may be manufactured in large numbers and kept in stock, and which may be installed, without change, in any elevator system having any number of floors and having floors of different heights.

A further object is to provide a floor indicator which shall be simple and reliable in operation, and which may be easily and economically manufactured, installed and maintained in operation.

A still further object is to provide an electrically operated floor indicator which will automatically reset itself at the terminals if it gets n out of synchronism with the car it serves.

Other objects of the invention will be obvious or will appear hereinafter.

For a better understanding of the invention,

reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an elevator system embodying floor indicator and hall pushbutton units constructed and mounted in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of two of the floor indicators and their electrical connection with the floor selector shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of one of the signal units at one of the floor landings of the elevator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view embodying a cross-section in side elevation of the signal unit illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in rear elevation of the signal 1.

unit illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view looking at the right-hand side of the dial drum illustrated in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the spring limit clips mounted on the dial drum illustrated in Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

I have illustrated in Fig. 1 an elevator car ID as 55 suspended by a cable ll passing over a hoisting drum [2 to a counterweight IS. The hoisting drum may be operated by a hoisting motor M, the shaft I5 of which is extended to operate the screw-threaded shaft 16 of a floor selector H. The screw-threaded shaft I 6 is provided for moving a traveling nut l8 bearing a suitable brush 20 over a plurality of stationary contact members in accordance with the movement of the car past the floors it serves, represented in the drawings as the first to the seventh floors, inclusive. The stationary contact members on the floor selector are arranged in accordance with the floors, the contact members 2| and 22 representing the first floor, 23 and 24 the second floor, 25 and 26 the third floor, 21 and 28 the fourth floor, etc.

Each floor landing is provided with a signal unit 36 comprising a casing 31, a face plate 38 for the casing, a floor indicator 39 for indicating the floor position and direction of operation of the car and a suitable pushbutton structure 40 for calling the car.

The casing for the signal unit at the second floor landing may be constructed of any suitable material such as sheet metal and may be mounted in any suitable manner in the corridor wall 42 with its open side facing the corridor. The casing may be provided with suitably scored plates 43 which may be knocked out to provide for the entry of wiring cables for the pushbuttons and the floor indicator.

The face plate 38 may be constructed or molded of any suitable material and may be mounted on the open front of the casing by means of a pair of screws 44 and 45 which extend through the plate and enter screw-threaded openings in a pair of inwardly bent flanges 46 and 41 (Fig. 4) provided on the front of the casing 31. The face plate should be provided with suitable inwardly directed flanges 48 of larger dimensions than the open front of the casing 31 for the purpose of overlapping and covering up the joint between the corridor wall and the face of the casing, when the casing is firmly fixed in its position. The screws 44 and 45 may be tightened to pull the face plate neatly to the outer corridor wall surface.

The face plate is provided with a window opening '59 and a pair of pushbutton openings 5| and 52. A bulls-eye or suitable glass lens 53 is mounted in the window opening 50 to provide a window through which the floor indicator may be observed.

The floor indicator 39 comprises a frame 55,

a notching motor and a dial drum 51'. The frame 55 may be constructed of any suitable plate metal material. Its front end 59 is bent inwardly at right angles to the body portion 55 and secured to the rear side of the face plate 58 by means of a plurality of screws 68. The lower portion Bi and the upper portion '62 of the frame are bent inwardly at right angles to the body portion 55 to partially enclose the motor 56 and the dial drum 57. A window 590: is cut in the front wall 59 in position to b in alignment with the window 50 in the face plate.

The motor 55 comprises a stator 63 and a 1'0- tor 64. The stator 63 comprises a pole piece structure 65 disposed between a pair of side p t s 56 and 61. A plurality of machine screws E3 pass through the side plates and the pole structure and into the frame 55 to hold the stator in position on the frame. A sleeve 69 is mounted on each of the machine screws 68 between the stator side plate 67 and the frame body 55 to so space the stator from the frame as to provide entry for lead-in wires for the stator. The stator (Figs. 2 and 4) is provided with a plurality of pole faces H, l2, f3, f4, I5 and I5 extending inwardly. The rotor 54 is provided with a shaft 85 rotatably mounted in the side plates 66 and 61 and with a plurality of armature face 11, It, 1'9, 80, 8|, 82, 83 and 8d extending outwardly toward the pole faces in the stator.

Each of the pole pieces is provided with a magnetizing winding. These windings are given the same numbers as the pole pieces with the suffix w. The windings of each pair of opposite poles are connected in series with the supply conductor L-land a contact segment on the floor selector. For instance, one end of the windings 7210' and 15w is connected to the supply conductor L+ and the other end to the contact segment 22 corresponding to the first fioor on the floor selector. The lead to the winding 15w is also connected to the contact segment '28 for the 4th fioor and to the contact segment 34 for the 7th floor. The windings 1510 and 1310 are connected to the contact segment 24 for the second floor and the con- :1

tact segment 38 for the 5th floor. The windings 14w and H are connected to the contact segment 26 for the 3rd floor and the contact se ment 32 for the 6th floor. The pole faces and the armature faces are so disposed that when each pair of coils is energized successively in order, the rotor will notch with each successive energization.

The dial drum 5"! is provided with an inwardly bent flange 86 and is mounted on the motor with the flange encircling the motor by means of a block 8'! disposed on the shaft 85. The block is located at the center of the drum and is secured to the wall thereof by a pair of rivets 89. A slot 89a is cut from one edge of the block. to a point beyond its center and set screw passes through the two lips of the slot to hold the block tightly on the armature shaft. When it is desired to adjust the position of the drum on the armature. the screw 98 is loosened, the drum rotated on the armature to the desired position, and then the screw is tightened to hold the drum in that position.

A dial strip 9i bearing a plurality of floor in dicating numerals is mounted around the outer face of the flange or periphery of the drum. The numerals are arranged in accordance with the order of the floors served by the car and each one is slightly smaller in dimension than the window lens 53 so it may be viewed therethrcugh when it is opposite the window. If desired, a letter or letters to indicate additional floors may be added. For instance, B may be used to indicate the basement. The floor indicating numerals may be mounted on the drum in any suitable manner, preferably in the form of a decalcomania. The floor indicating numeral strip extends around the drum and is approximately three-fourths as wide as the drum flange, thus leaving an uncovered strip around the flange Which may be utilized as a braking surface 96.

A flat spring 94 is provided as a brake for the dial drum. One end of the spring is secured to the lower rear end 61 of the indicator frame by means of a screw 95. The other end of the spring is disposed to constantly engage the brake surface 96 of the dial drum. The continuous pressure of the brake on the drum will provid sufficient friction to prevent it from oscillating or rotating at any time except when it is forcibly moved. The effect of the braking action of the spring may be adjusted as desired by bending the spring. The best results will be obtained when the spring barely touches the drum.

In order that the dial drum may be reset at the terminals if it gets out of step with the car, a plurality of holes I69 are arranged in the side of the drum as a seating place for a pair of U-shaped spring clips or drum stops WI and I92 which are disposed to be engaged by a stop bar I63 mount-ed on the inside of the front portion 59 of the indicator frame. There is one hole for each floor and it is disposed on the center line between the numeral for that floor and the next numeral. The ends of each spring clip or block are provided with depressions (Fig. 8) to engage the peripheries of the holes in which the clip is mounted and hold it in place. A clip may be moved from one pair of holes and seated in another pair of holes at any time it is desirable to change the limits at which the dial drum will be reset.

In the present case, the car is illustrated as operating between the 1st and 7th floors. Therefore, the spring clip I9! is shown in position to limit the movement of the drum with reference to the first floor and the spring clip I02 is placed in position to limit the movement of the drum with reference to the 7th floor. If the dial drum is out of step with and ahead of the car when it comes into the 7th floor, the clip I92 will be engaged by the stop arm I03 and thus hold the drum stationary until the car is in its stopping position at the 7th floor. If the dial drum is out of step with and leading the car when it arrives at the first floor, the spring clip IOI will be engaged by the stop arm IE3 and thereby hold the drum to its correct position while the car moves into and stops at the first floor.

A switch CS is disposed in the circuit to the supply conductor L for the purpose of deenergizing the floor indicators when the car stops at a floor or remains parked at any point. The switch CS is so connected in the car control circuit that its contact members will be opened whenever the control circuit is operated to stop the car.

The pushbutton unit 48 comprises an "up button I05 and a down button I06 mounted on shafts I01 and I08 slidably mounted in a limit plate I09, a supporting plate or auxiliary frame III! and a terminal plate III. The limit plate I09 is mounted upon the rear side of the face plate by means of a plurality of screws H2 and is disposed to be engaged by limiting pins I I3 in the pushbutton shafts when the pushbuttons are merely hold the contact members together. soon as the button is released, the action of the in their open position and thereby limit the outward movement of the pushbuttons. The supporting plate H is mounted on the rear side of the face plate by a plurality of screws II4 which pass through the bent-over flanged ends of the plate and enter suitable bosses I I5 on the rear side of the face plate. The flanged ends of the supporting plat and the bosses H5 provide a means for holding the body portion of the plate a predetermined distance out from the limit plate.

The terminal plate I II may be constructed of any suitable insulating material. It is provided with molded end bosses H6 and II! which extend toward and rest upon the supporting plate I I0, thereby spacing the main body of the terminal plate a predetermined distance away from the supporting plate. A plurality of bolts II8 pass through the terminal plate, its bosses and the supporting plate to hold the terminal plate in position on the supporting plate.

The shaft I0! of the button I05 is provided with a collar I having a shoulder I2I where it passes through the supporting plate H0. The collar may be secured to the shaft by a pin I22. A circular contact member I23 is mounted between two coil springs I24 and I25 on the pushbutton shaft in position to engage, when the button is operated, a pair of stationary contact members I26 attached to terminal members I 21 and I28 (Fig. 5) mounted in the terminal plate. The spring I24 is disposed on the shaft in compression between the contact member I23 and the shoulder I2I. The spring I25 is disposed on the shaft under compression between the contact member I23 and the inner face of the terminal plate III. Hence the two springs oppose each other. When the button is operated, the spring I25 is compressed to the point where the contact member I23 engages the two contact members I26 and the spring I25 expands. But if the button is pressed beyond the point where the contacts engage, the spring I25 will give and thus As springs will move the circular contact away from its two cooperating contacts. The down pushbutton I06 is constructed in the same manner as the button I05 and it will be seen that the two buttons with their supporting means constitute a pushbutton unit which may be easily assembled on the rear side of the face plate and constitute a structural part thereof.

In an assumed operation of the floor selector,

the car I0 is standing at the first floor, the floor selector brush 20 connects the contact segments 2I and 22, and the floor selector at each floor is positioned to present the numeral I at the window in the face plate. In this position, the floor selector rotor is disposed with its armature faces I9 and 83 opposite the pole faces I2 and 15 (Fig. 2). Assume now that the car is operated to move it to the second floor. In this operation, the control system switch CS is closed and the floor selector moves its brush 20 from the contact members 2I and 22 into position to bridge the contact members 23 and 24, as the car goes from the first floor to the second floor. Assuming that the car stops at the second floor, then the control system switch CS is opened. The

closing of the switch CS and the connection of the contact members 23 and 24 by the brush 20 energizes one pair of windings in each of the floor selectors to rotate its dial drum. The circuit for energizing the floor selector motor at the second floor (Fig. 2) extends from the supply conductors L+, I30, I3I, 13w, I32, 1620, I33, I34, I35, 24, 23, I36, CS, L-. The energization of the windings 13w and 16w causes the pole pieces I3 and I6 to attract the armature faces and 84, thereby moving the rotor 15, which causes the dial drum to bring the floor numeral 2 into position behind the window 50, indicating that the car is at the second floor. The dial drum of each of the indicators is likewise rotated, thereby causing the indicator at each floor to-indicate that the car is at the second floor. As the car arrives and stops at the second floor, the spring brake 94 on each of the dial drums prevents it from oscillating or rotating while the power to its motor is cut off during the stop of the car at the second floor.

It will be assumed now that the car continues on up the hatchway and arrives at the 7th floor,

- its upper terminal. It will also be assumed that,

for some reason, during this trip, the dial drum on the indicator for the second floor gets out of step with the movement of the car and falls behind its correct position. As the car comes into the 7th floor, no correction will be made, but when the car goes to the lower terminal or first floor, the stopping block IOI will be engaged by the stop arm I03 (Fig. 7) thus limiting any further movement of the drum and holding it to its position for indicating the first floor. The car will move on into the first floor and then the drum will be in position to correctly indicate the position of the car. If any of the dial drums on the indicators at the other floors for any reason ran out of step with the car, while it was on its way down and thus fell behind the car, their position will be corrected when the car goes to the upper terminal by their stopping blocks I02 being engaged by their stop arms I03.

In view of the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a signal unit for an elevator system in which the floor indicator and the pushbutton assembly for a particular floor may be mounted on the rear side of a pushbutton face plate in such manner that the plate, the indicator and the pushbutton unit become a structural unit which may be easily and quickly assembled in a single casing disposed in the corridor wall by simply fastening the face plate to the front of the casing.

It will also be apparent that I have provided a floor indicator for attachment to the face plate which is simple and inexpensive and easily manufactured and. installed, and further that the floor indicator will be self-adjusting if it gets out of step with the car.

Although I have illustrated and described only one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that many changes therein and modifications thereof may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A signal unit for an elevator car serving a plurality of floors, said unit comprising a face plate having a window opening, a frame mounted on the rear side of the face plate, a motor mounted on the frame, said motor having a stator and a rotor, a dial drum fixed on the rotor, said drum having a peripheral flange bearing a plurality of floor indicating numerals in position to register with the window opening, and being provided with a plurality of holes arranged in a circle in its side concentric with the axis of the rotor, one hole for each floor, a pair of limit blocks removably mounted in the holes in the drum, a stop member mounted on the frame for engaging the blocks to limitthe rotation of the drum to the floors to be served by the car, and a brake having its one end mounted on the frame and its other end disposed to constantly engage the drum to apply a predetermined braking effect thereto.

2. A signal unit for an elevator car serving a plurality of floors, said unit comprising a face plate having a Window opening, a frame mounted on the rear side of the face plate, a motor mounted on the frame, said motor having a stator and a rotor, a dial drum fixed on the rotor, said drum having a peripheral flange bearing a plurality of fioorindicating numerals in position to register with the window opening, and being provided With a plurality of holes arranged in a circle in its side concentric with the axis of the rotor, one hole for each floor, a pair of limit blocks removably mounted in the holes in the drum, and a stop member mounted on the frame for engaging the blocks to limit the rotation of the drum to the floors to be served by the car.

3. A signal unit for an elevator car serving a plurality of floors, said unit comprising a face plate having a window opening, a motor mounted on the rear side of the face plate, said motor having a stator and a rotor, a dial drum fixed on the rotor, said drum having a peripheral flange bearing a plurality of floor-indicating numerals disposed in position to register With the window opening, and being provided with a plurality of holes arranged in a circle in its side concentric With the axis of the rotor, one hole for each floor, a spring clip removably mounted in a pair of the holes in the drum, and a stop member mounted on the frame for engaging the spring clip to limit the rotation of the drum.

DONALD H. BAUM. 

